UTEP basketball snags standout Buffalo transfer & former NJCAA All-American Zid Powell
EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP men’s basketball team has landed transfer Zid Powell, a talented guard at Buffalo and a former NJCAA Honorable-Mention All-American, UTEP head coach Joe Golding announced Wednesday.
A brief profile on Powell and a quote from assistant coach Bryen Spriggs follow below.
6-4, Guard
Buffalo
Senior
Philadelphia, Pa.
Put up quality numbers across the board in his lone season at MAC member Buffalo, pacing the squad in steals per game (1.9-second MAC/52nd NCAA), free throws made (103-11th MAC), free throws attempted (130-12th MAC) and free-throw percentage (79.2-11th MAC) while rating second in scoring (13.0 ppg-22nd MAC) and third in assists (2.7 apg), doing all of this in only 24.6 minutes per game … added 4.1 rebounds per contest … nailed 41.8 percent from the floor, including three outings of at least 60 percent … started 16 of 28 appearances … led the team in scoring on six occasions, including setting career highs in both points (27) and rebounds (10) for his lone double-double of the year in a 100-71 rout against Bowling Green (1/17/23) … established career bests for field goals made (11) and attempted (19) against the Falcons … reached double figures in 20 games, which was aided by a seven-game streak and a six-contest surge … lit up Akron (3/9/23) for a team-high 25 points while also snagging eight boards in 29 minutes at the MAC Tournament … went off for 24 points in only 27 minutes in his first DI game in a win over Colgate (11/7/22) in the season opener … also had five steals and a career-best six assists in the game … tied the school record with eight steals at Miami University (1/10/23), the most thefts by a UB player in nearly 30 years … also notched 20 points in the tilt … scored 23 points, including going 12-12 at the foul line, while securing eight boards in addition to four assists and two steals in 27 minutes vs. St. Bonaventure (12/3/22) … took at least five free throws in 14 different games … blasted MAC regular-season champion Toledo (2/25/23) with 20 points in 25 minutes, aided by a campaign-most two triples … previously starred at Harcum Junior College, accumulating 661 points, 273 rebounds, 212 assists and 131 steals in starting 43 of 44 showings … led the team to a 32-3 record and a bid in the NJCAA Quarterfinals after averaging 13.5 points and 5.4 assists per game … exploded for 30 points against ASA Brooklyn Avengers (2/19/22), which was one of seven games with at least 20 points on the season … tallied 18 double-digit scoring efforts in his 27 appearances on the campaign … put together five double-doubles, achieving the feat vs. Howard Community College (21 points, 10 assists, 2/5/22), against Monroe College (10 points, 10 rebounds, 2/10/22), vs. Monroe College (21 points, 11 boards, 2/25/22), vs. College of Southern Idaho (10 points, 11 rebounds, 3/14/22) and at John A. Logan College (21 points, 11 caroms, 3/16/22) … garnered NJCAA Honorable-Mention All-America status by accounting for 17.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 3.9 apg in 2020-21 … hit double figures in scoring in all 17 appearances, with six 20-point scoring efforts … put up a season-high 29 points, aided by a perfect 13-13 on free throws, in a victory at Allegany Maryland (3/7/21) … grabbed 12 boards for a double-double in the tilt … scored 25 points on 11-16 shooting (68.8 percent) at Garrett (3/6/21) … produced 24 points in drilling Lackawanna (3/20/21) on the road … was nearly perfect from the floor (8-9) in a 21-point effort in another match-up with Lackawanna (3/28/21) … had four double-doubles on the season, doing so at Raritan Valley (21 points, 12 boards, 2/25/21), at Union (21 points, 11 rebounds, 3/2/21), at Allegany Maryland (3/7/21) and at Raritan Valley (19 points, 11 caroms, 3/11/21) … previously played one year at the Community College of Beaver County under head coach Bryen Spriggs, who is now an assistant coach with the Miners … a day after his idol Kobe Bryant passed away, he scored 81 points on 35-52 shooting in a win against Butler County Community College (1/27/20) … intentionally air-balled his final free throw to match Bryant’s greatest NBA scoring performance … finished at 14.1 ppg while coming off the bench in 28 of his 30 games played … tallied double figures in 16 outings, with five of at least 20 … recorded 24 points on 11-15 shooting against Westmoreland County Community College (12/2/19) … followed that up with a 28-point effort the ensuing contest against CC of Allegheny County (12/4/19), which was the second of six straight games in double digits … had 10 rebounds in that tilt for a double-double … played for Rocktop Academy (Pa.) his senior year of high school while taking classes at Overbrook, which was the home of the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.
“I’m very excited to officially welcome Yazid Powell to Miner Basketball. Zid is a strong and athletic guard that brings a versatile skillset to our roster. He is a player that I have had the privilege of coaching previously, and I know will fit extremely well into our system here at UTEP. He will bring the toughness and winning mentality that we want in our guys. We cannot wait to get him here to El Paso!”​
UTEP assistant coach Bryen Spriggs
